Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course grade-point average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 core-course grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).

Student-athletes enrolling in college in August 2016 and later must meet all of the above requirements to receive aid in the first year and practice in the first term. In order to compete in the first year, prospects must meet all of the above and:

Earn at least a 2.3 GPA in core courses

Meet an increased sliding-scale standard

Complete 10 core-courses prior to the start of the seventh semester, at least seven in English, math and science.

If a student-athlete earns nine credits in the first term, he or she can continue to practice the remainder of the year. If not, he or she can remain on aid but can’t practice.

Did you know you can make as many “unofficial” visits as you want? According to the NCAA – an “unofficial” visit can be any visit by you and your parents to a college campus paid for by you or your parents. The only expense you may receive from a college is three complimentary admissions to a home athletics contest. The only time you cannot talk with a coach during an unofficial visit is during the dead period.

College visits are the best way to find the “right” school, so make full day out of your visit and talk with as many staff members as possible. Create a list of departments or staff you need to touch base with during your visit.

Coaching Staff – Head Coach, Recruiting Coach and Position Coach

Admissions Office

Financial Aid

Department for your field of study

Campus Living

Career Services

Touch base with the admissions office to schedule a campus tour during your visit, they help you make the most of your time on campus.

Don’t wait until your Junior year to visit schools, start as early as possible. Schedule college visits as part of your spring or summer vacations. The college visit is one of the most important step in selecting the right school.

For more information regarding the recruiting process for student-athletes, please feel free to contact us.

The Division I Board of Directors Monday suspended two of the 25 pieces of legislation it adopted in January, responding to extensive membership feedback that despite the benefits of the proposals, the new rules could have a negative impact on prospects and their families, college coaches and administrators.

Override process continues

The override process for Prop. No. RWG-13-3 continues, with a deadline of 5 p.m. March 20. As of Monday afternoon, 48 schools had requested an override of that proposal, which deregulated communication with recruits.

If 75 schools request an override, the Board must review the proposal in question. If 125 schools request an override the proposals are suspended until the Board review. If the Board declines to change its position on the proposals, the full membership votes on them through an online process.

Monday’s Board action initiates another 60-day override period of the two rules that were suspended . As of Monday afternoon, 66 schools had requested an override of the proposal that eliminated the definition of recruiting coordination functions that must be performed only by a head or assistant coach, and 70 schools had requested an override of the proposal that eliminated restrictions on printed materials sent to prospects.

Schools have until May 17 to request an override of the Board’s March 18 action.

The Board postponed new rules deregulating who can perform recruiting tasks and what printed materials can be sent to prospects. Board members also considered suspending a third proposal that eliminated restrictions on modes and numerical limitations of recruiting contacts, but they ultimately agreed to let the membership decide that rule’s future through the override process.

Suspending the rules means they will not become effective unless and until appropriate modifications are made. The Rules Working Group, which proposed the changes as part of a package of legislation the Board adopted in January, will continue to study the concepts.

The Board’s action came about 10 days after the Rules Working Group recommended the presidents suspend the printed materials deregulation and the removal of restrictions on who can perform recruiting tasks. The working group considered the deregulation of recruiting communication as well, but it wanted to let the membership decide the rule’s future through the override process.

Board chair Nathan Hatch, president at Wake Forest, convened the presidents to respond to the Rules Working Group and membership feedback as quickly as possible.

“We are listening to our member schools and hope that continued discussion of these issues will enable us to reach a decision that helps our student-athletes and their institutions. We look forward to reviewing the result of further collaboration between coaches, administrators and student-athletes and members of the Rules Working Group,” Hatch said. “The other presidents on the Board and I had a strong desire to be responsive to the concerns expressed by our colleagues.”

Of the 25 proposals adopted by the Board in January, the three reviewed by the Board Monday generated immediate discussion among the membership. However, the majority of measures proposed by the Rules Working Group and adopted by the Board were supported.

“We are committed to the reform effort. We will move forward with these concepts with collaboration from all interested parties,” said NCAA President Mark Emmert. “Suspending these proposals for continued review will provide our coaches, administrators and student-athletes the additional opportunity to have their voices heard.”

Some coaches and administrators expressed concern that deregulation in this area might lead to a recruiting arms race that could overwhelm prospects, college coaches and athletics department budgets. Much of the tension is specific to football, though the concerns could translate to any sport.

The Board suspended the rules to give the Rules Working Group and the membership more time to determine the best course of action on the concepts presented in the proposals. For example, the working group will determine if there is middle ground between banning schools from sending any printed materials to prospects and allowing schools to send whatever they want to prospects.

Board keeps texting rule

The Board decided to leave in place the rule that eliminated restrictions governing modes and numerical limitations on recruiting communication because it felt that many concerns were addressed through the suspension of Prop. No. RWG-11-2.

Suspending RWG-11-2 eliminated the fears about having an unlimited number of staff members contacting prospects an unlimited number of times. When it initially proposed the rule change, the Rules Working Group believed the measure acknowledged both the increased use of text-messaging by prospects over the last several years and the growing difficulty of distinguishing between text messages, email and messages sent through social media. The rule also is expected to relieve a significant monitoring burden from the shoulders of compliance administrators.

Before making its decision, the Board discussed that football coaches are currently permitted to make an unlimited number of telephone calls to prospects during the fall contact period, which runs from late November until the Saturday prior to the National Letter of Intent signing day in February. Given this, the practical impact of RWG-13-3 will be to permit unlimited calls for only a few additional months.

The Board members also noted that coaches are already permitted to send an unlimited number of emails or other direct messages on various social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Facebook), so deregulation in this area provides consistency and simplifies the legislation.

Men’s basketball has operated without numerical or mode restrictions on recruiting contacts for nearly a year, and feedback has been positive.

As with all proposals adopted as part of the reform effort, RWG-13-3 will undergo a review after two years.

Division I took its first steps toward a rulebook that is more meaningful, enforceable and supportive of student-athlete success when the Board of Directors on Saturday adopted a set of proposals aimed at creating a more flexible manual based on common sense.

The rules changes are the latest transformation to grow from the August 2011 summit for Division I presidents and chancellors. NCAA President Mark Emmert called the summit to further engage presidential leadership to address the critical issues facing intercollegiate athletics.

Already, the division has acted in several important areas in response to the summit. The changes include enhanced academic eligibility standards for incoming freshmen and student-athletes who transfer from two-year colleges, the creation of a tie between a team’s academic performance and participation in NCAA championships, a revamped enforcement and Committee on Infractions process, and a multiyear scholarship model.

“These new rules represent noteworthy progress toward what can only be described as more common sense rules that allow schools more discretion in decision-making,” Emmert said. “This vote by the Board of Directors refocuses our attention on the things that really matter, the core values of intercollegiate athletics.”

The Board voted Saturday to deregulate in several areas, including personnel, amateurism, recruiting, eligibility and awards, benefits and expenses, and create a set of commitments that will serve as the foundation for all future rules changes. The legislation eliminates some rules (such as prohibitions on texting recruits and regulations of printed recruiting materials) and adds others (schools can pay for medical expenses and can’t scout opponents in person). All the proposals are effective Aug. 1, 2013.

“These new rules take a significant step toward changing the regulatory culture in Division I,” said Board chair Nathan Hatch, president at Wake Forest. “These changes make sense not only for our administrators and coaches but also for our student-athletes, the students who will eventually play sports on our campuses and the NCAA national office. Most important, we now have guideposts, in the form of the Division I commitments, to shape all our future rules.”

The simplification of the rules book, officially known as the Division I Manual, is generally considered the toughest assignment coming out of the August 2011 presidential summit. A rules working group forwarded the recommended changes to the Board after more than a year of work constructing the proposals, which included extensive collaboration with the membership. While the rules changes do not reflect unanimous support from all 370 Division I schools, the presidents concluded that streamlining the rulebook would both improve the division and better support student-athletes.

The rules working group now will embark upon the second phase of the effort to change the rules culture. This will include examining financial aid and playing and practice season rules, along with recommending continued changes in areas from the first phase. Clemson president Jim Barker, chair of the working group, said at the group’s meeting last month that he hopes the membership remains actively engaged in the process.

“A successful culture change will require a collaborative effort and a sense of shared responsibility,” Barker said at the time. “Our goal is smarter rules and tougher enforcement.”

The Board delayed a decision on one of the most controversial pieces in the Rules Working Group package – the creation of a uniform start date for recruiting in all sports. The presidents asked the working group to expedite its study of the issue and come back with a solution as soon as possible.

The change was intended to ease administrative burden and allow coaches to develop a deeper relationship with recruits before commitments are made. However, various membership constituents raised issues with the uniform date, with some wishing it were earlier and others hoping for a later date. The Division I Leadership Council recommended a delay.

Any rule adopted through the new process will be reviewed after two years. The timeline will allow for the new rules to work for a period before opening them to changes. The rules working group is devising a new approach to the legislative process in Division I to include an initial vetting of all proposals to ensure they adhere to the guidelines established by the working group in its review of the rules: Is it enforceable? Is it consequential and national in significance? Does it support student-athlete success?

Proposed changes will be filtered through a new process. The presidents have said they will consider only legislation that is within the reform agenda for the next year.

“When this process is complete, Division I should operate with rules that create more ways to provide for our student-athletes and are easier to understand and apply,” Hatch said.

The Board of Directors adopted the following proposals, effective Aug. 1:

2-1, which will establish the commitments that guide the underlying operating bylaws. This includes a commitment to fair competition, which “acknowledges that variability will exist among members in advantages, including facilities, geographic location and resources and that such variability should not be justification for future legislation.” It also includes a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

11-2, which will eliminate the rules defining recruiting coordination functions that must be performed only by a head or assistant coach.

11-3-B, which will prohibit the live scouting of future opponents except in limited circumstances.

11-4, which will remove limits on the number of coaches who can recruit off-campus at any one time, the so-called “baton rule.”

12-1, which will establish a uniform definition of actual and necessary expenses.

12-2, which will allow the calculation of actual and necessary expenses to be based on the total over a calendar year instead of an event-by-event basis for both prospective and enrolled student-athletes.

12-3, which will allow a student-athlete to receive $300 more than actual and necessary expenses, provided the expenses come from an otherwise permissible source.

12-4, which will permit individuals to receive actual and necessary competition-related expenses from outside sponsors, so long as the person is not an agent, booster or representative of a professional sports organization.

12-5, which will allow student-athletes in sports other than tennis to receive up to actual and necessary competition-related expenses based on performance from an amateur team or event sponsor.

12-6, which will allow student-athletes and prospects to receive actual and necessary expenses for training, coaching, health insurance and the likefrom a governmental entity.

13-1, which will allow schools to treat prospects like student-athletes for purposes of applying recruiting regulations once a National Letter of Intent or signed offer of admission or financial aid is received.

13-3, which will eliminate restrictions on methods and modes of communication during recruiting.

13-4, which will eliminate the requirement that institutions provide materials such as the banned-drug list and Academic Progress Rate data to recruits.

13-5-A, which will eliminate restrictions on sending printed recruiting materials to recruits. Conferences still will be prohibited from sending printed recruiting materials.

13-7, which will eliminate restrictions on publicity once a prospective student-athlete has signed a National Letter of Intent or written offer of financial aid or admission.

13-8, which will deregulate camps and clinics employment rules related to both recruits and current student-athletes. Senior football prospects will be allowed to participate in camps and clinics.

14-1, which will eliminate academic regulations that are covered elsewhere and directly supported by institutional academic policy.

16-1, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA national office to provide an award to student-athletes any time after initial full-time enrollment.

16-2, which will allow conferences, an institution, the U.S. Olympic Committee, a national governing body or the awarding agency to provide actual and necessary expenses for a student-athlete to receive a non-institutional award or recognition for athletics or academic accomplishments. Expenses can also be provided for parents/legal guardians, a spouse or other relatives.

16-3, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA to pay for other academic support, career counseling or personal development services that support the success of the student-athlete.

16-4, which will allow institutions, conferences or the NCAA to pay for medical and related expenses for a student-athlete.

16-5, which, except in limited circumstances, will change all Bylaw 16 references to a student-athlete’s spouse, parents, family members or children to “family member,” establish a specific definition of “family member,” and permit specified benefits to such individuals.

16-6, which will allow institutions to provide reasonable entertainment in conjunction with competition or practice.

16-7, which will allow schools to provide actual and necessary expenses to student-athletes representing the institution in practice and competition (including expenses for activities/travel that are incidental to practice or competition) as well as in noncompetitive events such as goodwill tours and media appearances.

16-8, which will allow student-athletes to receive actual and necessary expenses and “reasonable benefits” associated with a national team practice and competition and also will allow institutions to pay for any number of national team tryouts and championship events

At a very young age he knew where his alliances lie: maize and gold. His bedroom was painted maize and blue, his wardrobe was maize and blue, and he trained as hard as you’d expect from a wolverine fighting at the Big House. His dream was to play football for University of Michigan, and nothing would get in his way.

In high school he proved himself as a superstar, earning varsity letters in three sports & claiming state and national championships in power lifting. He invested in additional practice sessions, coaching, and weightlifting in order to gain a competitive edge for college football recruits. At the same time, he kept his studies up, understanding that academics would be just as critical to his long-term success.

His plan worked. At a personal meeting with Lloyd Carr, Frank was told he had the skills to play, the strength to play, and the passion to play…but not the size. Despite his outstanding performance and top ranking, he was simply 2 inches too short and 25 lbs. too light to play for Michigan. He was invited to consider walk-on status, but received no guarantee for play time and no financial support.

Time to Slide Into Plan B.

Frank Lietke faced this situation in his senior year at Walled Lake Central High School, and at the time, it seemed devastating. However, after careful consideration and some intentional decision making, he earned a world-class business degree, played college football with great success, and walked away debt-free at the end of your years.

Frank offers the following advice for other high school athletes to consider:

1. Understand the odds. Approximately 5.8 percent, or less than one in 17 of all high school senior boys playing high school football go on to play football at a NCAA member institution. Eight in 10,000, or approximately 0.08 percent will eventually be drafted by an NFL team. Even if you are good – really good – understand the odds and work a contingency plan just as diligently.

2. Think Three Steps Ahead. Although it’s enticing to choose a school based on football program alone, you must consider the end game of where you’ll be at the end of four years. Selecting a school with well-respected academics will attract top employers and differentiate you in a competitive marketplace.

3. Focus on Academics. Working in the weight room is important and seeing your effort play out on the field can be validating, however, your game can only take you so far. Frank elected to attend Wayne State University, which offered a top-ranked business degree program and a Division II football program. Participating in a smaller football program allowed him to exercise greater leadership on the field, providing added benefits over time.

4. Strive for Scholarships. Don’t assume that you HAVE to have college debt – you don’t! Seek opportunities for both academic and athletic scholarships from several schools. Make your decision based on the optimum mix for your unique situation. In Frank’s case, he was able to combine academic and athletic scholarships together, andwalked out of college debt free. Looking back, he believes it was the best decision he could have made.

5. Network, Network, Network. Find every opportunity to learn from others. Be curious and inquisitive. Find successful people who have done what you hope to do and seek them out. Most people will admire your earnestness and will want to help.

6. Do The Things That Other’s Won’t. You will need to roll up your sleeves and work to design the life you desire. “If you want things in life that other people don’t have, you have to do the things that other people won’t do.”

7. Have faith. Never lose faith – in yourself, and in a higher power. You will run into tough times – most of us do – but stay the course and have faith.

Had he allowed his ego take over, Frank may have chosen a large student loan and no game play time just in order to wear the Michigan jersey. However, because he was well rounded in BOTH academics and athletics he was able to craft a custom solution that was fulfilling at the time, and offered many long term benefits.

Story by: Susan Dooley is a professional leadership coach and a guest writer to Scholarpreps. She is also the Founder of www.LeadingMichgan.com which highlights people that excel in goal-setting, self-discipline, and leadership.

Every October, the College Board releases its Trends in College Pricing report that highlights college cost increases for the current academic year and trends in the world of higher education. While costs can vary significantly by region and individual college, the College Board publishes average cost figures, which are based on its survey of 3,500 colleges across the country.

Note that the "total average cost" figure includes tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and a small amount for miscellaneous expenses. This figure is often referred to as the "cost of attendance."

Public colleges (in-state students)

· Tuition and fees increased an average of 8.3% from last year to $8,244

· Room-and-board costs increased an average of 4.0% to $8,887

· Total average cost for 2011/2012 is $21,447

Public colleges (out-of-state students)

· Tuition and fees increased an average of 5.7% from last year to $20,770

· Room-and-board costs increased an average 4.0% to $8,887

· Total average cost for 2011/2012 is $33,973

Private colleges

· Tuition and fees increased an average of 4.5% from last year to $28,500

· Room-and-board costs increased an average of 3.9% to $10,089

· Total average cost for the 2011/2012 year is $42,224

Student aid trends

The College Board also publishes an accompanying report every October called Trends in Student Aid that examines financial aid in more detail. To read the report, visit www.collegeboard.com/trends.

The College Board noted that last year, approximately 46% of all grant aid came from the federal government, 36% came from colleges, 9% came from state governments, and about 9% came from employers and other private sources. Grant aid is the most desirable type of financial aid because it doesn’t need to be paid back.

Earn a combined SAT or ACT sum score that matches the core course grade-point average and test-score sliding scale. (For example, a 3.000 core-course grade-point average needs at least a 620 SAT).

Amateurism Eligibility

All incoming student-athletes must be certified as an amateur student-athlete. With global recruiting becoming more common, determining the amateur status of college-bound student-athletes can be challenging. All college-bound student-athletes, including international students, need to adhere to NCAA amateurism requirements in order to preserve their eligibility for NCAA intercollegiate athletics.

Certification process

All college-bound student-athletes must have an academic and amateurism certification from the NCAA Eligibility Center.

The online registration process that must be completed by all future Division I and II college-bound student-athletes includes a questionnaire relating to the individual’s amateur status.

For the staff at the NCAA Eligibility Center to certify amateur status, college-bound student-athletes must answer a questionnaire during registration.

The questionnaire covers the following precollegiate enrollment activities:

Recruiting Rules

NCAA policies govern how coaches can recruit college-bound student-athletes. The rules specify when and how coaches can contact prospects, what materials can be sent and when student-athletes can visit campus. The rules differ from sport to sport.

The NCAA Eligibility Center administers the National Letter of Intent program. The National Letter of Intent is a contract between a college or university and a prospect that requires the college-bound student-athlete to attend the college or university for one academic year and the college or university to provide athletics financial aid for one academic year. The National Letter of Intent is a legal document and should be read carefully before being signed.

Financial Aid

Individual colleges or universities award athletics grants-in-aid (often described as scholarships) on a one-year, renewable basis. They may be renewed for a maximum of five years within a six-year period of continuous college attendance. Aid can be renewed, canceled or reduced at the end of each year for many reasons. If a student-athlete’s aid will be reduced or canceled, the college or university must provide the student-athlete with an opportunity to appeal.

Financial aid is awarded in various amounts, ranging from full scholarships (including tuition, fees, room, board and books) to small awards that might provide only course-required books. Such partial awards are known as “equivalencies.” Some Division I sports (including Football Bowl Subdivision football and basketball) do not permit equivalencies.

All scholarships from any source in any amount must be reported to the college financial aid office. The total amount of financial aid a student-athlete can receive and the total amount of athletics aid a team can award may be limited. These limits can affect whether a student-athlete can accept aid from other sources.

Athletics financial aid can be a tremendous benefit to most families, but some costs are not covered (for example, travel between home and school). Also, although the benefits of athletically related financial aid are substantial, the likelihood of participating is relatively small. Any young person contemplating college attendance should use high school for legitimate academic preparation.

Transfer Rules

Division I student-athletes interested in transferring to another four-year college or university and student-athletes at two-year colleges interested in attending a four-year school should be aware of the rules that govern the transfer process.

Eligibility: Transfers from two-year colleges must have their academic and amateur status certified, just as incoming freshmen do.

Permission to contact: Most transfers from four-year college or university to four-year college or university require a “permission-to-contact” letter from the current school’s athletics director to the new school’s coach or administrator. The new school cannot contact the student-athlete until the current school agrees to the contact. If the current school does not agree, the student-athlete can appeal.

Five-year clock: Division I student-athletes have five calendar years from the first enrollment at a two- or four-year school to compete four seasons of competition.

Academic year in residence: Research shows that student-athletes who remain at one college or university throughout their academic careers graduate at higher rates than those who transfer. To encourage an academic focus, the NCAA requires Division I student-athletes who transfer from a two-year school and do not meet transfer requirements or transfer from one four-year school to another four-year school to spend one academic year in residence before being eligible to play There are exceptions to the rule:

If the student-athlete has never transferred before from a four-year school and meets academic requirements, that student-athlete might be able to use the one-time transfer exception (except in baseball, basketball, men’s ice hockey or football).

If the first school dropped the sport of the affected student-athlete

If the student-athlete never has been recruited, received an athletics scholarship or practiced beyond a 14-consecutive day period at any school or participated in competition before transferring

If the student-athlete returns to the first school without participating at the second school

If the student-athlete did not practice or play in his or her sport for two years

Individual colleges or universities and conferences also often have their own rules governing transfers.

In 2008, Division II commissioned the consulting firm of Hardwick-Day to assess the benefits of the partial-scholarship model unique to Division II. The Hardwick-Day study concluded that the partial-scholarship model has a direct impact on net tuition revenue and helps build cultural diversity and gender balance by attracting prospective students via competitive athletics programs.

Very few of the 90,000 student-athletes competing in Division II will receive a full athletics grant that covers all of their expenses, but most of them will receive some financial aid to help them through school. For the rest of their expenses, student-athletes are on their own––using academic scholarships, student loans and employment earnings just like most other students attending the Division II institution. This healthy partnership is the essence of Division II, where student-athletes are valued for their athletics contribution and for being an important part of the overall student body.

Higher SAT or ACT* Scores Can Bring You Thousands in Scholarships!

You know a good SAT or ACT score can help you get into the college of your choice. But, did you know your scores will also help you pay for it? Over 14 billion dollars worth of scholarship money is available for students to claim each year. $100 million in scholarship aid goes unclaimed, simply because students do not seek out the scholarship and apply.Follow these five tips to help secure scholarship money:
#1. Begin the process now!
As early as sophomore year, begin researching scholarships, building an academic portfolio (high GPA, top level course selections), and preparing for the PSAT where a good score can open the door for National Merit scholarship opportunities.
#2. Fill out the appropriate financial aid forms—be early and be accurate!
You need to tap into all options in getting financial aid. These two forms are the cornerstone of the financial aid process.CSS Profile or College Scholarship Service is the primary form used by colleges, universities and private scholarship programs to determine eligibility for aid: merit-based, needs-based or scholarships. The form should be filled out two weeks before application deadlines. Most schools require it by January 15th.

FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid is used to get need-based money
awarded by the US government in form of student loans, grants and work-study programs. Start filling out January 2nd and complete it early. Remember—filling out the FAFSA doesn’t guarantee aid, but not filling it out ensures you won’t get anything.
#3. Research your options and apply!
Thinking locally, corporately, and categorically can open your scholarship options. Helpful websites are:
•FastWeb–Scholarship Search; www.fastweb.com
•FastWeb–Scholarships.com; www.scholarships.com
•FastWeb–College Board; www.collegeboard.com/paying
•FastWeb–Kaplan; Scholarship Center at kaptest.com/college
#4. Talk to your target schools!
Specific schools are your best source for information on what a GPA or SAT/ACT score is worth in terms of merit scholarships. A difference of 2–3 points on your ACT or 200–300 point on your SAT can mean the difference in thousands of dollars in scholarship money!
#5. Keep your grades up and get the optimal score on your SAT or ACT!
A Kaplan test prep program is a worthwhile investment in helping you get that optimal score. The potential savings on your college bills can more than outweigh the cost of a Kaplan program. And with the Kaplan Higher Score Guarantee—your investment is insured! You will score higher—guaranteed!†

*SAT is a registered trademark of the College Board, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product. ACT is a registered trademark of ACT, Inc.
†Conditions and restrictions apply. For complete guarantee eligibility requirements, visit kaptest.com/hsg. The Higher Score Guarantee applies only to Kaplan courses taken and completed within the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and France.